New catalyst destroys "forever chemicals" within just "seconds"

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Scientists at Goethe University Frankfurt have come up with a new catalyst that can break apart PFAS—short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These “forever chemicals” are mad-made and are used in everything from non-stick pans to water-resistant clothes, but they’re known for sticking around in the environment and potentially affecting health.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—valued for their exceptional thermal stability, chemical inertness, low dielectric permittivity, and oil/water repellency—are crucial to critical technology sectors. In semiconductor fabrication, PFAS-based photoresists, etchants, and vapour-deposition chamber linings enable nanometre-scale patterning. Aerospace and defence employ PFAS hydraulic fluids, fuel-line coatings, and sealants to withstand extreme temperatures and pressures.

As an example, PFAS are used in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment such as printed circuit boards (PCBs) due to their exceptional corrosion resistance and advantageous physical characteristics.

In high-frequency electronics, PFAS insulators boost signal integrity. Aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) depend on PFAS for rapid fire suppression at airports and petrochemical facilities. Automotive applications include fluid-pump films and brake-system seals. Renewable energy systems—from photovoltaic modules to wind-turbine surface coatings—leverage PFAS for weather resistance, anti-reflectivity, and corrosion protection. Persistent environmental and health impacts have prompted stringent U.S. EPA and European regulations, driving research into fluorine-free materials and PFAS remediation technologies

The key to PFAS' staying power is the carbon–fluorine (C–F) bond, one of the toughest chemical links out there. Breaking it usually needs high temperatures or strong chemicals, but this new method works at room temperature, and without using expensive or toxic metals like platinum or iridium.

The breakthrough centers around a boron-based structure called 9,10-dihydro-9,10-diboraanthracene (DBA). When two electrons are added to DBA, it becomes reactive enough to attack PFAS-like molecules "within seconds and at room temperature." The team tested this on fluorobenzenes (C₆FₙH₆₋ₙ) in a solvent called THF (Tetrahydrofuran), using versions with anywhere from 1 to 6 fluorine atoms.

Their studies showed the catalyst works in two main ways:

• When there are fewer fluorines, it behaves like a boron-based nucleophile, attacking the molecule in an SNAr-type reaction that helps break covalent bonds like that of carbon with a halogen (like Fluorine in this case).
• When there are more fluorines, it acts as a reducing agent, donating electrons and pulling off hydrogen atoms.

Doctoral researcher Christoph Buch put it simply: “To break C–F bonds, we need electrons, which our catalyst transfers with exceptional efficiency. So far, we’ve been using alkali metals like lithium as the electron source, but we’re already working on switching to electrical current instead. That would make the process both much simpler and more efficient.”

The team also sees promise beyond PFAS cleanup. Many medicines include fluorine to make them last longer or work better. Professor Matthias Wagner explained: “With this catalyst, we now have a tool that allows us to precisely control the degree of fluorination in such compounds.”

This discovery could offer a safer and more flexible way to deal with PFAS pollution—and may help fine-tune the design of future pharmaceuticals.

Source: Goethe University Frankfurt, American Chemical Society

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